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Toronto Transit Commission
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is a public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario in Canada. It is the oldest and largest of the urban transit service providers in the Greater Toronto Area, with numerous connections to systems serving its surrounding municipalities. Established as the Toronto Transportation Commission in 1921, the TTC owns and operates nine subway lines, over 160 bus routes, and over 40 streetcar lines. In the 4th quarter of 2040, the average daily ridership was 5.80 million passengers: 1.68 million by bus, 1.13 million by streetcar and 2.99 million by subway. The TTC also operates door-to-door paratransit service for the elderly and disabled, known as Wheel-Trans. The TTC is the most heavily used urban mass transit system in all of Canada, and the third largest in North America, after the New York City Transit Authority and Mexico City Metro. Operations Buses With 3 400 buses, the TTC is one of the largest transit bus operators in North America. The TTC's bus fleet is made up primarily of low-floor electric hybrid Nova Bus LFS and LFS Articulated buses, with 1800 and 600, respectively. The rest of the TTC's bus fleet consists of 1000 Grande West Vicinity midibuses. Six-hundred of these are operated by Wheel-Trans, a paratransit service for the physically disabled with special low-floor buses designed to accommodate wheelchairs and to make boarding easier for ambulatory customers with limited mobility, with the rest operated along the Community Bus routes, shorter local routes with more frequent stops to service neighborhood destinations. Subway The Toronto subway system consists of 9 lines: Line 1 Yonge–University-Spadina, Line 2 Bloor-Danforth, Line 3 Valley-Queen, Line 4 Sheppard, Line 5 Eglinton-Morningside, Line 6 Jane, Line 7 Lakeshore, Line 8 Woodbine-Portlands and Line 9 Finch West. The collective length of the 9 lines in operation currently is 222.9 km, with the longest line being Line 1 Yonge-University-Spadina at 44.7 km. The nine subway lines are served by 2 952 cars grouped in trains of six cars on Lines 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9, and eight cars on Lines 1, 2, 3 and 7. The nine subway lines share non-revenue track connections and use the same technology. The two versions of subway trains in use today are the older Toronto Rockets on Lines 3, 6, 8 and 9 and the newer T2s on Lines 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7. All subway lines provide service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, during the period of time between 1:30 a.m. and 5:45 a.m., service is limited with average frequency around 8 minutes. Construction of Line 10 Circle is already underway, with expected completion in 2048. Streetcars Toronto's streetcar system is one of the few in North America still operating along street-running tracks. It has been operating since the mid-19th century. Horsecar service started in 1861, and 600 V DC overhead electric service began in 1892. New TTC routes after the 1940s have generally been operated by other modes, and the less busy streetcar routes were converted, with most streetcar routes focused on the downtown area. However, in the 2030s, streetcars had seen a resurgence in use in the city, with many of the busiest bus routes being converted to streetcar routes, including outside the downtown core. Today, it is both the largest and busiest light-rail system in North America as well as the largest tramway in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The TTC's current streetcar fleet consists of 1024 Bombardier Flexity Outlook vehicles. Services Fares The TTC's fare system outlines two different fare classes: student/senior and adult. Children 12 years of age or younger ride free of fare. The TTC makes use of a flat fare, charging C$2.50 for adults and C$1.50 for students and seniors. Additionally, riders using Presto cards can purchase a monthly pass that allows for unlimited use. This costs C$112.00 for adult cards and C$76.00 for student and senior cards. However, since January 2042, Presto cards automatically cap monthly fare expenditure at C$136.00 for adult Presto cards and C$92.00 for student/senior Presto cards, effectively adding a more expensive monthly pass for all cards automatically. Single journey tickets can be purchased at vending machines while special passes, Presto cards and other special tickets must be purchased at the ticket counter. Presto cards The Presto card (an operating division of Metrolinx, which operates GO Transit and Pearson Union Pickering (PUPi) Express) is an electronic unified contactless smart card-based fare payment system for the TTC and other transit service providers throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Users tap their card on a Presto card payment machine as they enter TTC subway stations/surface vehicles, and the fare is automatically paid through money already loaded on the card, on which the card itself then acts as proof-of-payment (POP) to show TTC fare inspectors or special constables in the event of a check and can also be used as a transfer for connecting TTC routes. Presto card readers are available on all forms of transit operated by the TTC and all entrances of subway stations. Presto cards can be purchased from any TTC ticket booth, as well as select distributors, for C$5.00. Special passes The TTC also offers two types of special passes that can be added to a Presto card or purchased outright in the form of a physical ticket or using the TTConnect app: a day pass and a weekly pass. Day passes allow for unlimited usage of the TTC for a 24 hour period from time of purchase, and costs C$9.00 for adults and C$5.50 for students and seniors. Weekly passes allow for unlimited usage of the TTC for a 7 day period from time of purchase, and costs C$50.00 for adults and C$30.00 for students and seniors. Money spent on these special passes will not contribute to the spending cap on Presto cards. These passes can be added at any Presto kiosk. Other fare options A Tourist Presto card can be rented at any TTC ticket booth for a flat rate of C$2.00. These cards are valid for 2 months of use, with every additional month of usage adding another C$1.00 onto the cost of the rental. Cash can also be used to pay for the cost of a ride, and single ride tickets are available at kiosks at every subway station and major bus terminal. Connecting transit The TTC connects with other transit systems of the Greater Toronto Area. GO Transit, Peel Regional Transit, York Region Transit, Viva Rapid Transit and Durham Region Transit are connected to the TTC via some of Toronto's subway stations. Line 1 Yonge-University-Spadina extends into York Region, with both terminals of the line coinciding with a Viva Highway 7-Queen intermediate rail station. Lines 2 Bloor-Danforth, 5 Eglinton-Kington and 7 Lakeshore all terminate at the border between Toronto and Peel Region, where riders can transfer onto Peel Regional Transit's Dundas, Eglinton and Lakeshore light rail lines. Durham Region Transit's Sheppard-Highway 2 light rail line extends into the city limits in order to connect with the eastern terminus of Line 4 Sheppard and York Region Transit's VIVA Orange intersects Line 4 as well. GO Transit's commuter train routes connect with many of the TTC's subway stations and streetcar stops, such as at Union Station. As well, Via Rail and Amtrak also connect with the TTC at Union Station, while Greyhound intercity buses connect with the TTC at the Toronto Coach, Scarborough Centre and Yorkdale terminals. Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi is available on-board all TTC vehicles, as well as at all TTC subway stations and bus terminals. This service is free for all users and is supported by advertising. Additionally, since the mid 2020s, 4G LTE service is available throughout the entirety of the TTC's rapid transit system. Accessibility The Wheel-Trans door-to-door service has been available since the mid-1970s. Additionally, all subway stations and TTC vehicles are fully accessible. All TTC vehicles are equipped with internal and external speakers that play automated announcements of the route and destination of vehicle travel. A digital orange LED board on surface vehicles display the name of the upcoming streets as the vehicle progresses on its route, and subway trains are equipped with digital screens as well providing a map of the train's route and progress.